Uttar Pradesh police said cybercrime teams arrested 12 suspects across six Indian states linked to a nationwide investment fraud run through roughly 600 WhatsApp groups promising high returns. Authorities said organizers used deceptive trading platforms and had overseas links to funnel deposits and manage cash-out.

In a multi-state enforcement action, Uttar Pradesh cybercrime units reported arrests of 12 individuals alleged to have coordinated a widespread WhatsApp-based investment fraud spanning about 600 groups. Police detailed a scheme in which administrators and promoters recruited victims with promises of outsized returns, steered them to deceptive or cloned trading platforms, and used payment gateways and overseas accounts to move funds. The operation reportedly leveraged social-engineering techniques inside group chats, including fabricated success stories, pressure tactics, and staged account screenshots to establish credibility. Investigators said organizers managed recruitment, tech support, and cash-out logistics across state lines, and that intercepted communications showed links to handlers abroad who assisted in laundering proceeds. Authorities described the bust as part of a broader national crackdown on messaging-app scams and signaled ongoing coordination with other state cyber units to identify additional participants and victims. Officials urged investors to be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches in group chats and emphasized using regulated intermediaries and verified platforms to reduce fraud exposure.